Saved the Best for Last
by tentsubasa
Summary: This is a story based on Vanessa Williams' "Save the Best for Last." Kazuki Hihara x Kahoko Hino of course.


**Hello! It's really strange, it seems like whenever I'm blocked on a story, I go and write something different. What a strange form of writer's block. Either way, I had this song, "Save the Best for Last" by Vanessa Williams (youtube…com/watch?v=5EdmHSTwmWY), stuck in my head and thought of a way to relate it to Kazuki and Kahoko. We'll see how it turns out; I've never written a song-based story before.**

**Song lyrics will be in bold while character's thoughts will be in italics within quotation marks.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own ****_Kiniro no Corda_**** or any affiliates, and I don't own "Save the Best for Last" by Vanessa Williams either.**

* * *

"Ok, Kaho-chan, you're almost there!" Kazuki held out his hand so Kahoko could grasp it and pulled her up onto the summit of the rocky hill.

"Thank you!" she gasped. "That was quite a hike! What is it that you wanted to show me Kazuki-kun?" She smiled at her long-time friend who had just recently become her co-worker.

It had been almost six years since the intra-school concours. It had taken awhile, but eventually, they had become comfortable enough with each other to be on a first-name basis.

"I mean, we're out in the middle of nowhere! There's got to be some reason that you insisted we come out here," she reiterated.

The olive-green-haired boy grinned at his red-headed companion. "You'll see soon. Be patient," he teased. He lifted his head to scan the sky for a couple minutes before finding what he was looking for. He stood behind her and turned her a little to the left before pointing to a section of the sky over her shoulder. "Keep your eyes trained over there, Kaho-chan."

"Uh, ok, but you still haven't told me why, Kazuki-kun."

He chuckled and looked at his watch. "You'll see in, 3, 2, 1…"

"Oh!" Kahoko exclaimed in delight. Dozens of meteors streamed across the sky. Her eyes glowed in rapture.

Kazuki beamed at her awed expression. He whispered quietly, "Don't forget to make a wish."

She tore her eyes away from the sky to smile and nod at her friend before closing her eyes to make her wish.

**Sometimes the snow comes down in June**

"What did you wish for Kazuki-kun?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Why?"

**Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon**

"Because," he whispered tenderly, with a soulful look that took her breath away, "My wish has already been granted: to be here with you."

**I see the passion in your eyes**

Her eyes widened. She was unable to tear her eyes away from him.

"I love you, Kaho-chan."

**Sometimes it's all a big surprise**

"_After all these years, is this really happening?_"

**'Cause there was a time when all I did was wish**

**You'd tell me this was love**

She gazed up into his deep amber eyes. It was as if the love he had for her was being transmitted through his gaze. She could feel tears coming to her eyes. "_Finally, my love is returned!_" she thought joyfully. After so much waiting, he was hers.

**It's not the way I hoped or how I planned**

"Kazuki," she whispered before being taken gently in his arms.

He held her close to his heart.

**But somehow, it's enough**

He gently wiped her tears away and smiled down at her as she smiled happily up at him.

**And now we're standing face to face Isn't this world a crazy place?**

He could look at that face forever. How was this possible? She was his; the girl of his dreams, the girl he had loved for almost six years, was in his arms and she loved _him_.

**Just when I thought our chance had passed You go and save the best for last**

He pulled her back into an embrace and slowly rocked her. As he did, he thought back to the journey their relationship had taken over the past five and a half years.

*flashback to five years ago*

**All of the [times] you came to me when some [stupid guy] had set you free**

"Kaho-chan?" Kazuki quietly pushed open the door of a practice room.

"Hihara-senpai!" Kahoko exclaimed while quickly wiping away her tears. "What can I do for you?"

He paused for a second before directly asking, "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine; why do you ask?" she replied in an overly-cheerful voice.

"You were crying…"

"Oh, that? I had something stuck in my eye, that's all." She forced another smile. "I'm fine, Hihara-senpai, really."

He shook his head. "Tsukimori left for Vienna yesterday. How can you be fine?"

She bit her lip.

"Sometimes it helps to talk," he coaxed. "I'm sure it was hard to let him go."

Kahoko felt tears threaten to spill. "Thank you for your consideration, Hihara-senpai." Her voice shook. "But really, I'm-"

"It's ok to cry and rely on your friends when things are hard, Kaho-chan. That's what friends are for…" He looked at her with sympathetic eyes. He longed to take her in his arms, but that wouldn't be right. What she needed now was a friend; he would be the best friend she could ask for in this time of need.

She nodded at his statement as she started to cry. Her shoulders shook as sobs wracked her body. They stood like that for a long time.

*flashback to three years ago*

"Kaho-chan!" Kazuki raced to catch up with his friend in the hallway. He paused for a second to catch his breath. "I just got an invitation to Yunoki's engagement party." He waved an envelope and card in his hand in confusion. "Who's Mizue Mimasaka? I thought-"

"Hihara-senpai…" She glanced around at all the people. "Let's talk outside."

"But Kaho-chan-"

"Let's talk outside," she repeated firmly. Something in her voice quelled all arguments.

He nodded and followed her to the roof. After shutting the door firmly behind them, she sighed and said, "What did you want to say, Hihara-senpai?"

Kazuki frowned for a second before repeating, "Who's Mizue Mimasaka? I thought you and Yunoki were getting married! Isn't that what you told me a couple weeks ago?"

"Well, I was wrong," she stated simply.

"What?"

She walked past him toward the railing. "Actually, that day…Azuma-san told me that he would be marrying the heiress of the Mimasaka clan, so we'd have to break up." She laughed a bit harshly. "It was stupid of me wasn't it?" Her voice started to waver. "I-I should've known that it wouldn't work out…"

He strode over to her and turned her around to face him. "Kaho-chan…" His hands rested on her shoulders.

She forced another smile while fighting back tears. "It was stupid to get my hopes up like that. I mean, I'm not anyone special. There's no way I'd be good enough for the Yunoki family. I should have quit while I was ahead. It's just," a tear fell, "Azuma-san made it seem so possible…It was like a dream. I felt like I was Cinderella or some other fairytale princess." Another tear fell. She stubbornly wiped it away with her sleeve. "But that's why they're called fairytales, right? Because they can't really happen…"

He forcefully pulled her into his arms. She stood rigidly in his embrace, shocked by his bold act.

**You wondered how you'd make it through**

**I wondered what was wrong with you**

"Be strong, Kaho-chan. You'll make it through this; I promise. He wasn't good enough for you. He should've fought harder for you. He may be a Yunoki, but he was nowhere near deserving someone like you." He hugged her harder.

**'Cause how could you give your love to someone else**

**And share your dreams with me?**

She hesitantly allowed herself to lean her head on his shoulder and after a while started to cry. As she cried, she silently thanked him.

Kazuki had always been there for her. When Len, her first love left, he had comforted her; and now, when Azuma had shattered her heart, here he was again, giving her strength. He had tutored her, encouraged her, inspired her, and had always been willing to talk. He was her best friend.

In the year that followed, she found herself noticing more and more how much she relied on him. He helped her get through Azuma's wedding. He helped her get her teaching credential so she could teach music. He raised her spirits when she was down. He listened patiently when she idly complained and sometimes even commiserated with her. He always made her smile.

Her eyes followed him as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. This boy who had stood by her side all these years was moving into the world of adulthood. Would they still be able to hang out like they had been?

She smiled at him when their eyes met. "Congratulations, Kazuki-senpai," she mouthed. As she clapped and cheered for him, she couldn't help but wonder about them. Her eyes followed him off the stage. When did this start? Since when had her eyes started seeking him out? Since when had his mere presence been enough to bring a smile to her face? Since when had her heart become his?

**Sometimes the very thing you're looking for**

**Is the one thing you can't see**

*flashback to a week later*

When she arrived, he smiled and stood up from the swing he had been sitting on. "Kaho-chan, good evening."

She smiled back. "Good evening to you too, Kazuki-senpai. You wanted to talk to me about something?"

He nodded solemnly. "Shall we take a walk?"

She smiled in response and started walking. With his long strides, he quickly caught up with her. For a while, they walked in silence. She had a feeling she knew why he had called her out to meet him. Her throat constricted. He was leaving. That could be the only explanation. She gripped her purse a little more tightly.

"Kaho-chan…"

"Hmm?" she murmured distractedly.

"The job offer that I had fell through…"

"What?" Her head snapped around to look at him. "That's terrible! What happened?"

He shrugged. "Budget cuts, what else? I guess they overestimated the amount they had."

"So what'll you do now?" she asked in concern.

"That's…what I wanted to talk to you about…"

She looked at him expectantly.

"I…I was offered another position," he looked away before finishing his sentence, "In Iwate."

"Oh…" She looked away as well.

"_Iwate is over 14 hours away by train!_" she thought with a sinking heart.

"That's…That's pretty far, isn't it, Kazuki-senpai?"

"Yeah…I guess it is…" He ran his hand through his hair and licked his lips.

"_I have to ask. If I don't…I'll never know. If there's even the slightest chance…_" He stole a furtive look at her. "_Ok, here goes nothing._"

"Ah, Kaho-chan…I…I don't have to take the job, you know…"

She turned to look at him in confusion. "What?"

He blushed and looked down toward his shoes. "I don't have to go teach in Iwate. I mean, I can decline the offer if I need to…"

"_What? He's thinking of declining the offer? Why? Why would he do that? Teaching music is his dream! Why would he give that up?_" She pursed her lips in determination. "_There's no way I can let him give up his dream. I'll miss him desperately, but how could I live with myself if I advised him to turn down this opportunity?_"

"I think you should go. This is the chance you've been waiting for!" She smiled warmly up at him. "You'll be a wonderful teacher, Kazuki-senpai. Go show those kids the beauty and wonder of music. I'll be cheering you on all the way!"

He gave her a small smile. "Thanks Kaho-chan. I…appreciate it…"

He raised his head to the sky, hoping that by doing so, she wouldn't see the disappointment on his face. "_I guess…I will always just be a friend to you. There's no reason for me to stay here. You're right; I should go follow my dream in Iwate._"

"Uh, Kazuki-senpai, I…I need to go do something, so I'll catch you later, ok?" Kahoko ran ahead before turning to wave with a big, fake smile. "Bye!"

Kazuki nodded and waved with a sad smile. She was too far away for him to see how much she was suffering underneath her smile.

Kahoko turned and ran all the way home. Throwing herself on the bed, she finally succumbed to the tears that had threatened to fall all the way home. "_I'm doing what's best for him. This is his dream! I can't be selfish and stand in his way._" But even though she knew she was doing the right thing, it didn't make it hurt any less.

*flashback to a year later*

She sighed as she walked home from a graduation party. She had just graduated from Seiso University with a degree in music education, and was set to start work at Seiso Academy's new elementary school the following week. This should be one of the happier days of her life, so why was she dissatisfied? She continued to meander until her feet took her to the park where she last seen _him_ before he left. When she got to the swings, her feet stopped. It was almost like she could see him on the swings. She smiled sadly and sat down on his swing. Rocking back and forth, she thought quietly of him.

She knew why she was dissatisfied. It was because _he_ wasn't there to celebrate with her. She traced her foot in circles in the sand idly. The life of a music educator was busy. Since he left, he hadn't been able to make it down to visit, not once. Even during his summer vacation, he had to help teach a class for remedial students. And because of work, he couldn't be here with her today. She bit her lip to hold back the tears.

*crunch* The sound of a stranger's footsteps broke through her reverie.

She quickly looked up and met the kind, amber eyes that she had longed to see for the past year.

**And now we're standing face to face Isn't this world a crazy place?**

"K-Kazuki-senpai…?" she whispered in disbelief. Was this real? Was he truly here with her?

**Just when I thought our chance had passed**

They stood that way for a few more minutes, drinking in the sight of each other. It had been far too long.

Finally, Kazuki smiled and whispered, "I'm home."

Kahoko smiled and jumped up to give him a hug. "Welcome back!" she whispered, hugging her friend.

**You go and save the best for last**

They broke their embrace and grinned at each other.

Kazuki motioned with his head for them to take a walk and they started heading toward Kahoko's house.

"So what brings you back, Kazuki-senpai?"

"Work, actually."

"Is there a conference or something?"

"No," he shook his head. "I…I realized that what I was searching for wasn't in Iwate." He looked at her significantly.

**Sometimes the very thing you're looking for Is the one thing you can't see**

"_It can't truly be my dream if you're not a part of it, Kaho-chan. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that. I was such a fool to think that I could ever be happy without you…_"

She felt her breath catch at his look. Could it be possible?

"I got a job at Seiso's new elementary school too." He smiled down at her, "I guess we'll be co-workers. I look forward to working with you, Kaho-chan."

"I look forward to working with you too…Kazuki-kun."

*end flashback*

**Sometimes the snow comes down in June Sometimes the sun goes 'round the moon**

**Just when I thought our chance had passed You go and save the best for last**

She hugged him happily. Could any girl in the world be happier and luckier than she? She gazed adoringly at the face of the boy she loved. Just a few months ago, the boy she loved walked back into her life, and now she knew that he loved her too.

He cupped her face in his hands and smiled tenderly at her. Then he lowered his head to her face and kissed her. She felt her eyes close slowly as they held their first kiss.

When they finally broke their kiss, Kahoko could feel her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. She lifted her hand to touch his , she went up on her toes to press a light, soft kiss on his lips. He pulled her in more closely and kissed her back sweetly. She drew more closely to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. They stood there for a long time in each other's arms and watched the rest of the meteors go by.

*flash forward a couple years*

"I now present to you for the first time, Kazuki and Kahoko Hihara. You may now kiss your bride."

**You went and saved the best for last**

* * *

**So how was it? I wasn't sure what the best way to integrate the song was, but I think this worked out alright.**

**One of the lines of the song was changed. It originally read, "All of the nights you came to me when some silly girl had set you free." Seeing as the "silly girl"s were Len and Azuma, it seemed appropriate to change it a bit. XD**

**The meteor shower that Kazuki and Kahoko saw was the June Boötids. It generally peaks on June 27 at 10:30PM. It's apparently a fairly weak meteor shower as far as meteor showers go, but it does occasionally enjoy large bursts of meteors. I mostly picked this shower because it was the closest thing I could come up with to snow in June.**

**Some of you may be wondering about the last little "scene" at the end. I gave them a Western-style wedding because they seemed like the kind of people who would have one. In Japan, you can have a traditional, Shinto wedding, or a more modern, Western-style wedding. Considering that they're into things like classical music, I figured they'd probably prefer the Western-style wedding. Azuma, on the other hand would very likely have a traditional, Shinto wedding seeing as his family is very traditional.**

**Azuma's wife's name was taken from **_**Kiniro no Corda**_**'s Mizue Sakimoto, Ryoutaro's ex-girlfriend, and from **_**Hana Yori Dango**_**'s Akira Mimasaka.**

**Please review! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!**


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